Insight and Information to Offer Quality First Aid to an Injured Lip

Posted August 31, 2016.

It’s not uncommon for something like a hard fall or a blow to the face to injure your lip. In some cases, people have actually split their lip and cause swelling. In an extreme situation, it is even possible for you to bite through your lip.

If your injured lip is bleeding excessively, you should strongly consider going directly to the emergency room. If the injury isn’t critical, yet it needs basic first aid, Ashburn General Dentistry’s office offers a few basic tips to help manage the situation.

It’s important to determine the extent of the injury. Try to gently wipe away any dried or excess blood with a warm, wet washcloth. If you have blood or debris in your mouth you can rinse your mouth clean with lukewarm salt water.

If your lip is starting to swell you can hold a cold compress on the area for 15 minutes at a time. You shouldn’t hold the cold compress to your lip for longer than 20 minutes as excess cold can also irritate sensitive tissues and impede blood flow. You can improvise a cold compress with a bag of frozen vegetables or crushed ice in a plastic bag, wrapped in a tea towel.

To control minor bleeding, you can lightly press sterile gauze to your lip. If the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 15 to 20 minutes, you should seek emergency care. This is often a sign that the wound requires professional treatment.

If you have oral first aid questions, you can always call Ashburn General Dentistry’s office in Ashburn, Virginia at 703.724.4470 to seek further insights.